Snow Plowing

Help! My mailbox was knocked down.

The Public Works Department has established a 8 hour cycle time for each snow route. This means that every street maintained by Buffalo Grove should be plowed from the center line to the curb every 8 hours during a snow event. The goal for completion of snow and ice control activities is within 8 hours of the end of the storm. Various emergencies and equipment issues could cause a delay in these response goals, but they help set the departmental pace.

Damaged Mailboxes: During snow removal efforts, mailboxes may unfortunately be damaged or even knocked down by snow plows - but there is a way to address this issue. If the damage was caused by Buffalo Grove Public Works, the Department will repair or replace mailboxes and support posts that have been damaged. Until the time that these repairs or replacements can be completed, Public Works will provide a temporary post and mailbox so the resident can receive mail.

The Department does not complete repairs caused by thrown snow. Additionally, no repairs or replacements will be completed on mailboxes or support posts that have been improperly installed. Mailbox installation guidelines and diagrams can be obtained at the Public Service Center upon request by calling 847-459-2545.

Different areas of the Village may receive snow removal services from alternative units of government, such as Lake or Cook Counties, or the Illinois Department of Transportation, among others. Please visit this link for more information and to report a mailbox that was damaged or knocked down.

Snow Build-Up at the End of Driveways:Due to the recent snowfall, residents may find a build-up of snow at the ends of their driveways. While this may create a nuisance, there are reasons why this occurs. All streets are plowed to create drivable lanes for commuters/emergency equipment, and then plowed again to the curbs, which allows drainage to run down the curb and not in the street once melting begins or rain follows. If snow is not pushed all the way to the curb, melting snow and rain could pose a re-freezing issue, if or when temperatures drop below freezing.

Snow is also plowed all the way to the curb by Public Works to prevent residents from having to shovel/snow blow beyond the curb and into the street to create access to their driveways. Residents are always encouraged to try and remove the freshly plowed snow before re-freezing occurs and the deposits turn into ice or hard packed snow. Although shoveling/snow blowing smaller piles ultimately requires the same amount of removal as one large clean-up would, performing the activity multiple times on smaller, lighter, and less frozen piles is much easier on equipment and the human body. Questions can be directed to Public Works at 847-459-2545.

It is important to note that outside agencies maintain most major thoroughfares. Please direct inquires to the agency responsible for maintenance at the following numbers.

If you don't know which agency maintains a given road, visit the Snow and Ice Control map in our Community Portal. You can enter your address, or a nearby location, to discover which agency controls snow and ice activities for individual roads.